How energy moves through and changes matter, from heat and light to energy in living systems.
4.6 Matter and energy: measurable physical properties of matter and how they are used to identify, sort, change, and put matter to use
4.6A Classify matter and describe it by observable physical properties, including physical state (solid, liquid, gas), relative density (whether it sinks or floats in water), magnetism, mass, and temperature
4.6B Investigate and compare a range of mixtures, including solutions made of liquids dissolved in liquids and solids dissolved in liquids
4.6C Demonstrate conservation of matter when mixtures, for example oil and water or soil and water, are formed
Force, Motion, and Energy
How forces change motion, and how energy is transferred, transformed and conserved.
4.7 Force, motion, and energy: how forces work and the patterns they follow, shown by planning and conducting descriptive investigations of forces, for example gravity, friction, or magnetism, acting on an object whether touching it or from a distance
4.7A Plan and carry out descriptive investigations that explore patterns in forces, for example gravity, friction, or magnetism, acting on an object either touching it or from afar
4.8 Force, motion, and energy: energy is all around and shows up in cycles, patterns, and systems
4.8A Investigate and identify how energy is transferred by objects in motion, water waves, and sound
4.8B Identify thermal and electrical conductors and insulators
4.8C Show and explain how electrical energy moves along a closed path, producing light and thermal energy
Earth and Space
Earth's materials and processes, weather and climate, and the sun, moon and other objects in space.
4.9 Earth and space: patterns in the Sun-Earth-Moon system and what they cause
4.9A Collect and analyze data in order to spot sequences and forecast patterns of seasonal change, for example temperature and daylight length
4.9B Collect and analyze data to spot sequences and forecast patterns in how the Moon appears from Earth
4.10 Earth and space: Earth processes that produce patterns of change
4.10A Describe and illustrate how water moves continuously above and across Earth's surface in the water cycle, and explain that the Sun is a major energy source driving it
4.10B Model and describe gradual changes to Earth's surface from weathering, erosion, and deposition by water, wind, and ice
4.10C Distinguish weather from climate
4.11 Earth and space: why natural resources matter and how people can manage them
4.11A Identify and explain benefits and drawbacks of using renewable and nonrenewable natural resources of Earth, for example natural gas, oil, coal, animals, plants, sunlight, water, and wind
4.11B Explain how essential energy resources are to modern life, and how conserving, disposing of, and recycling natural resources affect the environment
4.11C Determine which physical properties of rocks allow natural resources to be stored in them
Organisms and Environments
How living things meet their needs, interact with each other and their surroundings, and change over time.
4.12 Organisms and environments: patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships found within environments
4.12A Examine and explain how most producers feed themselves from carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight while matter cycles
4.12B Describe how matter cycles and energy flows within food webs, including the roles played by decomposers, consumers, producers, and the Sun
4.12C Identify and describe environments of the past from evidence in fossils, including common fossils found in Texas
4.13 Organisms and environments: living things go through similar life processes and have body structures that help them survive in their surroundings
4.13A Explore and explain how plant structures and functions, for example waxy leaves and deep roots, help plants survive in their habitat
4.13B Distinguish inherited physical traits of organisms from acquired ones
Recurring Themes and Concepts
Big ideas, like patterns, cause and effect, systems and models, that connect every area of science.
4.5 Recurring themes and concepts: using big ideas that cut across science disciplines to make connections between them
4.5A Recognize and apply patterns in explaining scientific phenomena or designing solutions
4.5B Recognize and examine cause-and-effect relationships to account for scientific phenomena or to study problems
4.5C Apply scale, proportion, and quantity when describing, comparing, or modeling different systems
4.5D Examine and model a system's parts and how they depend on each other for the system to work
4.5E Investigate energy flow, matter cycling through systems, and conservation of matter
4.5F Explain how the structure of objects, organisms, and systems relates to their function
4.5G Explain how factors or conditions affect change and stability in objects, organisms, and systems
Scientific and Engineering Practices
The ways students do science at every level: asking questions, investigating safely, using evidence and communicating explanations.
4.1 Scientific and engineering practices: asking questions, identifying problems, and safely planning and carrying out classroom, lab, and field investigations with suitable tools and models in order to answer questions, account for phenomena, or design solutions
4.1A Ask questions and define problems that come from observations, readings, phenomena, models, or investigations
4.1B Plan and carry out descriptive investigations using scientific practices, and design solutions to problems using engineering practices
4.1C Follow safe procedures and use safety equipment in classroom and field investigations, following the safety standards approved by the Texas Education Agency
4.1D Observe, measure, test, and analyze data using hand lenses, mirrors, and laser pointers; metric rulers and meter sticks; Celsius thermometers; balances and digital scales; beakers and graduated cylinders; sieves; hot plates; magnets; calculators; notebooks; timing devices; materials for building circuits; materials for observing organisms' habitats, like terrariums and aquariums; and materials for collecting digital data, like computers and tablets
4.1E Gather observations and measurements to serve as evidence
4.1F Create graphic organizers suited to the data being gathered, including input-output tables showing cause and effect, flow charts or sequence maps, Venn diagrams, concept maps, tree maps, line graphs, bar graphs, and tables
4.1G Develop and use models standing in for phenomena, objects, and processes, or construct a prototype of a solution to a problem
4.2 Scientific and engineering practices: interpreting and analyzing data to find meaning, patterns, and relationships, building evidence-based arguments or judging designs
4.2A Identify the benefits and drawbacks of models, for example in terms of size, scale, properties, and materials
4.2B Analyze data by finding significant features, patterns, and error sources
4.2C Use mathematical computations to compare relationships and patterns
4.2D Evaluate a design or object against a set of criteria
4.3 Scientific and engineering practices: building evidence-based explanations and sharing findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions
4.3A Develop explanations and propose solutions backed by data and models
4.3B Share explanations and solutions alone and with others, in many settings and formats
4.3C Listen carefully to the explanations of others to spot relevant evidence, and take part respectfully in scientific discussion
4.4 Scientific and engineering practices: recognizing what scientists have contributed and why scientific research and innovation matter to society
4.4A Explain how scientific discoveries and inventive solutions to problems affect science and society
4.4B Explore and research resources, for example private companies, online platforms, mentors working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, libraries, museums, and professional organizations, to learn about careers in those fields
How many 4th Grade TEKS Science Standards are there?
There are 43 4th Grade TEKS Science Standards on this page, in 6 strands: Matter and Energy, Force, Motion, and Energy, Earth and Space, Organisms and Environments, Recurring Themes and Concepts, and Scientific and Engineering Practices.
How do I write an assessment for a 4th Grade TEKS Science standard?
Pick a standard on this page and choose Make a quiz or Make an exit ticket. AssessmentWiz opens the generator with the standard's code and text filled in, so every question targets that standard.
What does a code like 4.6A mean?
TEKS science codes read grade, knowledge and skills statement, student expectation. In 4.6A, the first number is the grade (K for kindergarten), the next number is the knowledge and skills statement, and the letter is the student expectation under it.